Thickness dependence of the switching time of the bistable boundary layer liquid crystal display.

The dc pulse duration T(A) needed to activate the unfavored state of the bistable boundary layer display has been measured as a function of pel thickness in a cell with a wedge shaped cross section. T(A) increases with cell thickness d in rough agreement with crude models based on the double layer and ion depletion mechanisms of switching. To achieve faster switching, one should make a thin cell with a little built-in asymmetry as possible, and create an interface with a strong double layer field whose Debye screening length is a significant fraction of the cell thickness.